Glorify the Father

Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
So must the Son of Man be lifted up,
So that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
John 3:14-15

In the Old Testament, when the Israelites were wandering in the desert, they complained against God and because of their complaint, God sent serpents to punish them. When the people repented and Moses interceded for them, God told Moses to make a brazen serpent and mount it on a pole. Anyone who was bitten by a serpent and looked at the bronze serpent was healed.

The word translated to 'lifted' actually means to lift up for all to see. When Moses raised the serpent on the pole, he was displaying it so that everyone can see it. So if the serpent was meant to be seen, then the Son of Man is meant to be seen. What this verse means therefore is that we have to exalt Jesus - let Jesus be seen by everyone.

I believe that this is the main reason that the Father sent Jesus. He sent Jesus so that all creation may glorify Jesus. And when Jesus is glorified, the Father is also glorified. And when the Father is glorified, then creation fulfills the will of the Father.

The original plan of the Father was for all creation to glorify the Son. But because of the sin of Adam and Eve, creation rebelled against God and the plan was postponed. But God's plan is always done. And when the time comes, all creation shall submit to the Father - either willingly or by force. Those who do not submit willingly to the Father will submit to him by force.

The Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). The main work of the devil is death. And if Jesus destroys death, he will have conquered the enemy. The only way to conquer death is not by running away or avoiding death - but to confront it and win over it. This is done only through the resurrection of Jesus. But the only way to rise from the dead is to die. The only way to die is to become human. The only way to become human is to be born of a woman. The only way to be born of a woman is to be conceived in a woman. And God did this by the power of his Spirit with the cooperation of a young virgin called Mary.

Therefore the Father's purpose for sending Jesus was for all creation to glorify Jesus.

However, did Jesus do all these things while looking forward to the glory that will be given him? I personally think that the main reason he did all these was because of his love for the Father. For Jesus, he knew that doing the will of the Father is fulfilling his plan. The life of Jesus was centered around doing the will of the Father. He did not care of the glory reserved for him. All he cared about is fulfilling what the Father wanted him to do. The reason why he did all these is because of his perfect love for the Father. It is love that allows Jesus to remain focused on glorifying the Father.

In our daily struggle against difficulties and persecutions, let us remember the purpose for which we were created - to give glory to the Father through Jesus. The only way to achieve this is to have an intense love for Jesus. We cannot keep our focus if there is no love for the Lord. It is only with love for the Lord that we respond to difficulties and persecutions with grace and poise by the power of the Spirit. When we respond with grace and poise, God's light ALWAYS shines through us and only then will the Father be glorified through Jesus.

I am in the process of moving my website (the current provider has ads that are very sometimes contrary to the message of the gospel). I will also redesign the new website to include sermons and seminar talks that the Lord has allowed me to give. Please watch for it and I will inform you when it is finished.

God bless.